Roller type stamping machine



Feb. 7, 1933. J, sI PHELPS 1,896,556

ROLLER TYPE STAMPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l a um ArfoA/Ex 7, 1933. 1'k s* PHELPS 1,896,556

ROLLER TYPE STAMPING MACHINE l f4 frog/vf if Feb. 7, 1933. J '5 PHELPS1,896,556

ROLLER TYPE STAMPING MACHINE I Filed Dec. 8, 1930 3 sheets-sheet 5ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 7, 1933 ar ."rsics JOHN S. PHELPS, OF WHITTEER,'CALIFGRNIA ROLLER TYE STAMPNG MACHINE Application filed December 8,1930. Serial No. 500,926.

My invention relates to means for stamping moving articles, and relatesparticularly to a stamping device forv use on a conveyor to stamparticles or objects,'such a-s boxes or containers, as they move alongthe conveyor.

My invention is of especial utilityin placing identiiication marks, suchas serial numbers, classifications, or emblems, on packages orccntainers after they are-packed'with commodities, these marks impartingto an observer' desired information regarding the contents of thepackages or containers. As an example of the use of my invention, thefruit packing industry may be cited. Herein the fruits are graded andselected, and different grades and selected fruits are packed in boxesor other containers which are marked `in a manner to indicate the gradeor size of the fruit therein. Myv invention may be attached to aconveyor which is associated with a packing machine or cover nailingmachine for a fruit box so that each box as it passes along the conveyorwill be stamped with the identification or designating marks. Y

It is an abject of my invention toprovide an automatic stamping devicefor stamping articles as they travel along a conveyor, having a rollerstamping member which stamps the articles as they roll along the facethereof.

It is an object of the invention to providev roller which will hold thestamping roller in position to engage the end of an approaching article`and will produce a translational movement of the roller in lateraldirection as the roller is moved forwardly by `the mov- 7 ing article,`thereby accomplishing a rolling action of the stamping roller in lateraldirection along'the end of the article.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a roller type boxstamping machine having a printing roller'adapted to `roll in engagementwith a face of an article, and having means for removing the printingroller from engagement with the face of thel article afterI the printingroller has moved through a prescribed distance.

A further object of the invention is to proide means for preventingreverse rotation of the printing roller after it is lifted fromengagement with the face of the box.

Another object of the invention is to provide means fer centinuing therotation of the printing roller after it .has been removed fromengagement with the face of the article, thereby assuring completeAinking of the printing member carried on the printing roller. v

The invention comprehends a device hav-. inga roller adapted to beapplied to a face of anarticle as it moves along a conveyor; Althoughthe printing roller may be placed so, as to operate against any selectedface of the article, the preferred forms of the invention show equippedwith parts whereby it will move `along the ends of the article. Thisconstruction is adopted for the reason that as a generalpractice thelabels of fruit boxes are placed on theends of the boxes, and as I amherein showing the preferred forms of my invention adapted for use inthe fruit packing industry, I have accordingly embodiedthe invention ina form-suitable for placing marks on the ends of the boxes.

Furtherk objects and advantages of the invention will vbe made evidentthroughout the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. l isa plan view showing al preferred and simple embodiment of myinvention in the position which it assumes when it is lirst engaged bythe box or article which travels along the conveyor. Y

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the stamping device with the stampingroller removed from engagement with the front end of the box.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the stampingv device with its parts in theposition which theyk occupy just before disengagement with the box whichhas been stamped.

Fig. 4 is a partly sectioned elevational view taken on a planerepresented by the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

5 is an enlarged section on a plane represented by the line 5 5 of Fig.2.

Fig. 6 is a view showing an alternative form of my invention in whichthe stamping roller is adapted to stamp the rear end of a box. In thisview the parts are shown with the stamping roller held in disengagementwith the box.

Fig. 7 is a plan view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the alternative formof stamping device with the parts thereof in a position occupied whenthe stamping roller is in engagement with the rear end of the box.

A conveyor 10 with which my invention may be practiced may have sidebars 11 and 12 supported by legs 13 and in turn .supporting rollers 14over which a traveling inember, such as a belt 15, moves. In the form ofthe invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive I provide a rotaryprinting or stamping member in the form of a printing roller 1G havingprinting elements 17, such as letters, numbers, or characters, and beingadapted to rotate on a shaft 18 which lies in a plane parallel to thefront end 20 of an article or box 21 which is to be stamped as it movesforwardly or rightwardly along the conveyor 10 as indicated by an arrow22 of Fig. 1. rIlhe shaft 18 forms a part of a supporting means 23 forthe printing roller and is nonrotatable on its own axis. As shown inFig. 5, the printing roller 16 is of hollow construction and has aspring 24 therein, one end of which is secured at 25 to the shaft 18 andthe other end of which is secured at 26 to the printing roller 16. Thisspring 24 exerts a resilient force on the printing roller 16 which tendsto rotate it in anti-clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 27 ofFig. 1. The supporting means 23 comprises an arm 28 hinged on a verticalpin 30 carried between the upper and lower horizontal plates 31 and 32of a supporting bracket 33. As shown in Fig. 4, a. spring 34 is providedfor normally rotating the .supporting means 23 in anticlockwisedirection as indicated by the arrow 35 of Fig. 1. For inking theprinting elements 17 I provide inking rollers 3G and 37 which are heldresiliently in operative positions by pairs of springs 38 and 40. Theinvention also provides means 41 for lifting the printing roller 16 fromengagement with the end 2O of the box 21 when the roller has rolledacross the face 2O through a sullicient distance to complete animpression of the printing elements 17. This means 41 includes a rollermember 42 supported on an arm 43 in position for engagement with the end20 of the box 21. The arm 43 has a rearwardly extending portion 44 ofU-shaped form and including upper and lower legs 45 and 46 connectedtogether by a vertical bar 47, as shown in Fig. 4. rlhe arm 43 is hingedon upper and lower bolts 48 which are carried by the plates 31 and 32 ofthe bracket 33 and are positioned somewhat forwardly or to the right ofthe pivot 30 which carries the .supporting means 23. By means of abracket 50 mounted on the vertical bar 47 of the retracting means 41, aroller 51 is carried in position for engaging an adjustable member 52consisting of a plate hinged at 53 to the rearward end 54 of the lever28, the spacing between the rearward end 54 and the plate 52 beingcontrolled by an adjustment screw 55.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows: Ihen notengaged by an article, such as the box 21, or at the time of initialengagement, the parts of the device are dirposed as shown in Fig. 1. Itwill be perceived that the print-ing elements 17 carried on theprintingl roller 16 are to the left of the point at which the printingroller 15 engages the front end 2O of the box 21. The spring 24 shown inF 5 normally holds the printing roller in this position which isdetermined by stops consisting of projections 56 and 57 mountedrespectively on the roller 16 and the upper plate 58 of a pair of plates58 and 59 which constitute the forward end of the supporting means 23.As the box 21 continues to move rightwardly or forwardly, as indicatedby the arrow 22 of Fig. 1, the supporting means 23 is caused to rotatein clockwise direction on the pivot member 30 with the result that theprinting roller 1G will swing through an arc 61 and with the result thatas such printing roller 16 moves through the are 61 it will roll inclockwise direction across the front end 20 of the box 21. During thisforward movement of the box 21, the front end 20 thereof approaches theroller 42 of the retracting means 41 and swings the retracting means 41in clockwise direction around the bolts 48, cau e' the roller 51 toexert a leftward force ag ist the adjustable member on the rearward end54 of the arm 28 so as to cause the supporting means 23 to move fasterthan the speed at which it would be moved bv the box 21, with the resultof lifting the pri roller from engagement with the front enfl 2O of thebox 21. rllhis lifting action accomplished as a result of the placingand proportioning of the reti-acting means 41. It will be noted that thefront end (33 of the arm 43 is shorter than the rear end 44 thereof sothat the movement of the roller 51 is greater tl in an the movement ofthe roller 42 and is also greater than the movement of the printingroller 1G. As a result of such proportioning and disposal of parts, theprinting roller 16 is lifted from engagement with the front 2O of thebox 21 before the roller 16 has reached the corner 64 of the box 21.

In Fig. 2 I show the parts of the stamping device after the roller 42has passed the cor- CIJ ` 35 ments 17 across t 60 veyor 10.

ner 64 and is traveling down the side 62 of the box. It will be notedthat the supporting means 23 is in a position to hold the printingroller 16 a considerablel distance from the box 21. To preventanti-clockwise rotation of the printing roller 16vas it is'lifted fromengagement with the front 2O of the box 21, and also to continue theclockwise rotation thereof so as to carry the printing elements 17across the inking roller 36, I provide an automatic means for rotatingthe roller 16 in clockwise direction after it has disengaged thebox 21.This automatic means consists ofv a lever 65 which is hinged to the arm-28 by means of brackets 66 vwhich engage a vertical pin 67, which pin67 in turn engages brackets 68 projecting` from the arm 28. By means ofstuds 70 which project downwardly from the` upper plate 31, rollers 71and l72 20 are supported in position to consecutively engage therearward end 74 of the arm 65 as the supporting means 23 swings from itsposition of Fig. 1 to its position of Fig. 2. This consecutiveengagement of the rearward end 74 I of the arm 65 with the rollers 71and 72 causes the arm 65 to swing in clockwise direction from itsposition of Fig. 1 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 and topull outwardly on a flexible strap or band 75 which is connected at 76to the front end of the arm 65 and is also wound on the roller 16,causing the band 75 to be unwound from the roller 16 and the roller 16to be rotated in clockwise direction whereby to carry the printing eleeinking roller 36. j y

. As the box 21 continues to move along the roller 42, as shown in Fig.V2, the roller 42 approaches the rearward corner 77 ot' the box 21, andupon leaving the corner 77 `it '40 will swing in anti-clockwisedirection into the space following the rear end 78 oi the box 21, asshown in Fig. 3. VThis inward or anti-clockwise movement of the member42 permits the supporting means 23 to rotate in anti-clockwisedirectionthrough such distance that a guard 80 formed on the forward end of themember 23 will engage the side 62 adjacent the rearward corner 77, thuspreventing the printing roller-16 trom swinging 5o inwardly intoengagement with the corner 77 as the roller 42 disengages the corner 77.As the box 21 moves further inV rightward directionfroin the position inwhich it is shown in Fig. 3, the guard 80 will drop oil i or disengagethe corner 77, and all of the parts of the printing mechanism will swinginto the position in which they are shownl inFig. 1 preparatory tooperative engagement with a consecutive ybox on the con- In the form ofvmyA invention shown '1n Figs. 1 to `5 inclusive Ihave shown a device forprinting the forward end of. a box. For convenience, the partssupporting the print- 65 ing roller and theroller 42 are mounted to theside of the conveyor so that the parts may swing out of the path of thebox 21 as it travels along the conveyor. The arms 28 and 43 in thisembodiment of the invention are swung through horizontal planes, butitwill be recognized that these arms may be positioned so as to swingthrough vertical planes by placing the pivot members 30 and 48 eitherabove or below the conveyor.

In Fig. 6 I show my invention adapted to print the rearward end of a box82 which is traveling in leftward direction, as indicated by an arrow83, along a conveyor which may be also identied by the numeral 10. Tothe parts shown in Figs. 1 to 5 I have merely added a retracting means84 which consists of an arm 85 pivoted at 86 to a bracket 87 and havingan. adjustable extension or end 88 secured thereto by bolts 89, and anadjustable link 91 which is pivotally connected to the arm 85 at 92 andis also pivotally connected to the rearward portion 44 of the arm 43 bymeans of al bracket 93. During the period of disengagement with the box82, and at the time of disengagement therewith, the parts are in thepositions shown in' Fig. 7. It will be noted that the arm 85 projectsinwardly across the path of travel of the box 82 so that the extension88 will be engagedas the box 82V traveling in leftward direction reachesthe plane of the parts 85 and 86. After the box 82 engages the extension88, its further leftward movement will cause the extension 88 to swingleftwardly into the position shown in Fig. 6, swinging the arm 85 into asimilar position, and through the link 91 causing the arm 43 to swingfrom the position of Fig. 7 to the position of Fig. 6, this movementofthe arm 43 causing the printing roller supporting means 23 to bewithdrawn into fully retracted position, during which movement of thesupporting means 23 the arm 65 will be rotated in clockwise directionand the band or strap 75 will bey thereby unwound, causing rotation ofthe printingroller 16 across the inking roller 36. When the rightwardcorner 95 ofthe box 82 passes the end 96 of the extension 88, the arm 85is left free to swing in clockwise direction. The roller 42 then dropsinto engagement with the side97 of the box 82, permitting the supportingmeans 23 to swing inwardly through a short distance. When the corner 95is reached, the

lroll in anti-clockwise direction across the end 98 of the box 82 towardthe position in which it is shown in Fig. 7, at which time the continuedleftward or forward travel of the box 82 will move the box fromengagement with the printing roller, leaving the printing roller in aninactive position corresponding to the position of the retracting means8a in readiness for the approach and printing of a consecutive box inthe manner above described. It will be noted that in this form of theinvention the guard has been omitted as there is no need for such guardwhen the invention is employed to stamp the rear end of a box.

By the use of two devices of this character on a conveyor, the front andrear ends of a box traveling along such conveyor may be stamped withnames, identification marks, or numbers. The distance through which thesupporting means 23 is swung by the retracting means 41 is determined bythe spacing of the plate 52 relative to the rear end 54 of the arm 28 sothat the time at which the roller 51 makes engagement with the plate 52may be varied.

The invention also includes a simple means for adjusting the printingdevice to proper operating position. |Ihe supporting bracket 33 has adownwardly projecting leg 100. A bolt or screw 101 secures the centralportion of this leg to a side of the conveyor, such as the side member12. A lateral adjustment member 102 extends from the lower extremity 103of the leg 100 to a clamping means consisting of a bolt 104 extendingthrough a slot 105 into a leg 106 or other supporting part of theconveyor 10 positioned at a distance from the side of the conveyor onwhich the bracket 33 is mounted. A longitudinal adjusting meansconsisting of a bar 107 extends diagonally upwardly from a bolt 108 nearthe lower end of the leg 100 to a bolt 110 which projects through a slotin the upper end of the bar 10T and is screwed into the side member 12of the conveyor 10. By use of the lateral and longitudinal adjustingmeans 102 and 107, the bracket may be rotated forwardly or sidewardly sothat the arms 28 and 43 will swing through a horizontal plane or suchother plane as may be necessary for proper operation of the device,

In the forms of the invention disclosed I have shown means forsupporting the printing roller so that it will move through a pathdiagonal to the path of movement of the article along the conveyor7thereby causing the roller to roll across the face of the article as itmoves with the article. In addition, my preferred form of tne inventionincludes means for lifting the roller from engagement, but in somepractices it may be desired to omit the means for lifting the rollerfrom engagement, for it is characteristic of the construction shown thatthe arm or support 23 holds the printing roller in such a manner thatwere the lifting means omitted, it would move outwardly across the faceof an article and would then roll along the side of the article, finallydropping off the rear end of the article into position for engagementwith the front end of an approaching article. To prevent blurring of theimprint, the printing roller 16 is provided with flanges 120, as shownin Fig. 1. The peripheries of these flanges have substantially the sameradius as the printing elements 17, but, as indicated at 121, theperipheries of the flanges 120 are interrupted so that the printingroller is supported only by the letters or characters of the printingelements 17. In the use of this construction I am able to avoid blurringof the end letters or characters of the printing elements 17 as theprinting roller rolls smoothly from the peripheries of the flanges 120to the printing elements 17.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in simple andpractical form, it is recognized that certain parts or elements thereofare representative of other parts, elements, or mechanisms which may beemployed in substantially the same manner to accomplish substantiallythe same results; therefore, it is to be understood that the invent-ionis not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to beaccorded the full scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a rotary printing member adapted for engagementwith an end of the article; supporting means for translationallysupporting said printing member to cause said printing member to movelaterally as it is moved forwardly by said article; and means forlifting said printing member from engagement with said article.

2. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a rotary printing member adapted for engagementwith an end of the article; supporting means for translationallysupporting said printing member to cause said printing member to movelaterally as it is moved forwardly by said article; means for liftingsaid printing member from engagement with said article; and means forpreventing reverse rotation of said printing member as it is lifted fromengagement with said article.

3. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a rotary printing member adapted for engagementwith an end of the article; supporting means for translationallysupporting said printing member to cause said printing member to movelaterally as it is moved forwardly by said article; means for liftingsaid printing member from engagement with said article; and means forcontinuing the rotation of said printing member as it is lifted fromengagement with said article.

4. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a rotary printing member adapted for engagementwith an end of the article; supporting means for translationallysupporting said printing member to cause said printing member to movelaterally as it is moved forwardly by said article; and means operatedby engagement with said article for lifting said printing member fromengagement with said article.

5. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor', including: a rotary printing member adapted for engagementwithan end of the article; supporting means for translationallysupporting said printing member to cause said printingV member to movelaterally as it is moved forwardlyV by said article; means operated byengagement with said article for lifting said printing member fromengagement with said article; and means for preventing reverse rotationof said printing member as it is lifted from engagement with saidarticle.

6. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a supporting structure adapted to be mounted alongthe path of movement of the article; a rotary printing member having aprinting element on the exterior thereof; means for operatively securingsaid printing member to said supporting structure in position forengaging said article so as to produce a rolling movement of saidprinting member across an end of said article; and means for determiningthe period of engagement of said printing member with said article, saidmeans moving said printing member bodily from engagement with saidarticle.

7. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing` roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said printing roller will roll across anend of said article as said article moves along said conveyor; and meansfor determining the period of engagement of said printing roller withsaid article, said means moving said printing member bodily fromengagement with said article.

8. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a print-ing roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said printing roller will roll across anend of said article as said article moves along said conveyor; and meanscontrolled by engagement with said article for determining the period ofengagement of said printing roller with said article.

9. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said printing roller will roll across anend of said article as said article moves along said conveyor; and meansoperated by force received from said article for determining the periodof engagement of said printing roller with said article.

10. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said printing roller will roll across anend of said article as said article moves along said conveyor; and meansfor moving said printing roller in an angular direction relative to saidend of said article whereby to determine the period-of engagement ofsaid printing roller with said article.

l1. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing rollen-means for movably supporting saidprinting roller so that said printing roller will roll across an end ofsaid article as said article moves along said conveyor; and meanscontrolled by engagement with said article for moving said printingroller in an angular direction relative to said end of said articlewhereby to determine the period of engagement of said printing rollerwith said article.

12. vA stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said `printing roller will roll across aface of said article as said article moves along said conveyor; meansfor determining the period of engagement of said printing roller withsaid article; and means for preventing reverse rotation of saidprintingl roller as it disengages said article.

13. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said printing roller will roll across anend of said article as said article moves along said conveyor; means fordetermining the period of engagement of said printing roller with saidarticle; means for inking said printing roller; and means for continuingthe forward rotation of said printing roller as it disengages saidarticle.

14. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said printing roller will roll across aface of said article as said article moves along said conveyor; meansfor determining the period` of engagement of said printing roller withsaid article; meausfor inlring said printing roller; and means forpreventing reverse rotation of said printing roller as it disengagessaid article.

15. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said printing roller will roll across anend of said article as said article moves along said conveyor; and meansfor lifting said printing roller from engagement with said article.

16. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller adapted to print upon an end ofsaid article; an arm supporting said printing roller; a pivot for saidarm situated to one side of the pat-h of movement of said article alongsaid conveyor on which said arm may swing so as to determine a path ofmovement for said printing roller into and out of the path oi movementof said article; and means auxiliary to said printing roller forswinging said arm.

17. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller adapted to print upon an end ofsaid article; means tor inking said roller; an arm supporting saidprinting roller; a pivot for said arm situated to one side of the pathof movement of said article along said conveyor` on which said arm mayswing so as to determine a path ot movement for said printing rollerinto and out of the path of movement of said article; and means auX-iliary to said printing roller for swinging said arm.

18. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller adapted to print upon an end ofsaid article; means for inking said roller; an arm supporting saidprinting roller; a pivot for said arm situated to one side of the pathof movement of said article along said conveyor on which said arm mayswing so as to determine a path of movement for said printing rollerinto and out of the path of movement of said article; and meansauxiliary to said printing roller, operative in response to engagementwith said article, for swinging said arm.

19. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along` aconveyor, including: a printing roller adapted to print upon an end ofsaid article; means for inking said roller; an arm supporting saidprinting roller; a pivot for said arm situated to one side of the pathof movement ot said article along said conveyor on which said arm mayswing so as to determine a path of movement for said printing rollerinto and out of the path of movement of said article; and means auX-iliary to said printing roller, operative in response to engagement withsaid article, Jfor swinging said arm, said auxiliary means having a partengaged by said article as it approaches said printing roller adapted toswing said printing roller from the path of movement ot said articlewhereby to prevent engagement of the front end of said article and saidprinting roller.

20. A stamping device adapted to print an end of an article as it movesalong a conveyor, including: a cylindrical printing member; andsupporting means for said printing member adapted to produce a singlerolling engagement of said printing member with said end of saidarticle.

21. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a cylindrical printing member; and supporting meansfor said printing member adapted to produce a single rolling engagementot said printing member with an end of said article and to cause saidprinting member to move through a diagonal path while it engages saidarticle.

22. A stamping device adapted to print an article as it moves along aconveyor, including: a printing roller; means for movably supportingsaid printing roller so that said printing roller will roll across andimprint a tace of said article as said article moves along saidconveyor; and means for preventing reverse rotation of said printingroller as it disengages said article to avoid smudging of the print.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 4th day of December, 1930.

JOHN S. PHELPS.

